Meaning and history
Probably derived from the old Pictish name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, Tristán first appears as Tristan in 12th-century French tales, perhaps reshaped by association with Old French triste meaning “sad” and possibly transmitted through Welsh forms such as Trystan or Drystan. In the legend, Tristan is sent to Ireland by his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, to bring back Iseult as the king’s bride, but they accidentally drink a love potion on the return journey; later versions make him one of King Arthur’s knights. His tragic story was widely popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has been used occasionally ever since.
20062006: 5,414 births, rank #86
2007: 5,340 births, rank #87
2008: 5,659 births, rank #81
2009: 5,350 births, rank #80
2010: 4,899 births, rank #84
20112011: 4,732 births, rank #87
2012: 4,441 births, rank #88
2013: 4,016 births, rank #96
2014: 3,927 births, rank #98
2015: 3,927 births, rank #101
20162016: 3,639 births, rank #108
2017: 3,309 births, rank #121
2018: 3,230 births, rank #123
2019: 2,573 births, rank #151
2020: 2,124 births, rank #182
20212021: 1,825 births, rank #208
2022: 1,600 births, rank #225
2023: 1,382 births, rank #253
2024: 1,302 births, rank #267
20252025: 1,103 births, rank #309
Tristan moved from #267 to #309 for boys between 2024 and 2025. Its highest annual birth count came in 2008, with 5,659 births.